Stableford Rule differences
Scoring in Stableford, the form of stroke play loved by many a club golfer for its more compassionate approach to on-course disasters, allows for players to reach a point where it doesn’t matter how many more strokes they take on a hole or even if they finish it. Net double bogey yields the same as net quadruple bogey – zero points.
Most golfers will know the scoring system well – one point for a net bogey on a hole, two points for a net par and so on. One of the beauties of Stableford play is the potential to save time – you don’t have to finish a hole and you can pick up if you’re struggling.
But the Rules do have to adapt how certain penalties are applied in Stableford, and they do this via Rule 21.1c. As it is still a form of stroke play, most Rules are applied in the usual manner to the hole where the breach occurred, but there are some exceptions. The reason for these exceptions is that if the Rules were applied as normal and the holes in question were ones on which you would have scored zero points, you would effectively be getting away penalty-free.
So, if you breach the maximum club limit under Rule 4.1b, you get two points deducted for each hole at which a breach occurred (with a maximum deduction of four points per round), rather than two strokes being added to your score for each hole.
Similarly, breaching Rule 5.3a by arriving late but within five minutes of your starting time or starting early but within five minutes of your starting time will see two points deducted from your total points. Penalties for unreasonable delay under Rule 5.6a are also dealt with via one-point (first breach) or two-point (second breach) deductions from your total points tally, rather than one-stroke or two-stroke penalties on the holes where the breaches occurred.
There are also four scenarios where failure to correct a mistake in normal stroke play would lead to disqualification, but in Stableford merely result in zero points for the hole where the breach occurred: Failure to hole out under Rule 3.3c. Failure to correct mistake of playing from outside the teeing area in starting a hole (see Rule 6.1b(2)).
Failure to correct mistake of playing a wrong ball (Rule 6.3c).
Failure to correct mistake of playing from a wrong place when there is a serious breach (Rule 14.7b).
“THE RULES HAVE TO ADAPT HOW CERTAIN PENALTIES ARE APPLIED IN STABLEFORD”